Writings

Designing The City Of Tomorrow (2017)

Urban areas can improve the planet as well as people’s lives if they become much more resourceful with energy, water, food and mineralsLEARN MORE

The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance (2013)

The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance is the eagerly awaited follow-up to Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, the 2002 book that is widely acknowledged as a seminal text of the sustainability movement.LEARN MORE

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things (2002)

Published in 2002, Cradle to Cradle is widely acknowledged a one of the most important environmental manifestos of our time.LEARN MORE

The Hannover Principles: Design for Sustainability (1992)

Prepared in 1992 by William McDonough Architects and Dr. Michael Braungart; commissioned by the City of Hannover, Germany, as design principles for Expo 2000, The World’s Fair. LEARN MORE

Carbon is not the enemy (2016)

Design with the natural cycle in mind to ensure that carbon ends up in the right places, urges William McDonoughLEARN MORE

Fashion is a Verb (2015)

Foreword by William McDonough for Sustainable Fashion: What’s Next, 2nd EditionLEARN MORE

Investing in Innovation for the Common Good (2015)

An appreciation and sharing of Thomas F. Darden’s speech on low energy nuclear reaction at The 19th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, Padua, Italy, April 13, 2015LEARN MORE

Building for a Better World and Making People Smile (2014)

Newsweek asked William McDonough and Coert Zachariasse to discuss their Park 20|20 project, and why it might be seen as a model for similar environmental design all over the world.LEARN MORE

A 21st Century View of Architectural Graphic Standards (2005)

Foreword: The Natural Advantage of Nations (2004)

Foreword by William McDonough for The Natural Advantage of Nations: Business Opportunities, Innovations and Governance in the 21st Century by Karlson Hargroves and Michael Harrison SmithLEARN MORE

The Elephant in the Living Room (2004)

How Addressing the Trade Deficit Can Re-Invigorate American IndustryLEARN MORE

The Cradle-to-Cradle Alternative (2004)

Imagine a world in which all the things we make, use, and consume provide nutrition for nature and industry—a world in which growth is good and human activity generates a delightful, restorative ecological footprint.LEARN MORE

A New Era for Manufacturing (2004)

The reopening of the Ford River Rouge plant as the Ford Rouge Center, and its availability for public tours, represents more than just the rebirth of a cultural opportunity in Detroit; it hearkens a sea change in the future of manufacturing in America, and indeed, throughout the world.LEARN MORE

Something Lived, Something Dreamed (2003)

Toward a 21st Century Renaissance (2003)

Education, Design and a Hopeful Human Prospect, by William McDonoughLEARN MORE

Toward a Future of Energy Effectiveness (2003)

As more and more evidence suggests that the traditional ways of doing business may not be sustainable over the long term, many of today’s leading industrialists are practicing a curious maneuver; they are trying to put the brakes on without taking their foot off the accelerator.LEARN MORE

Toward a Sustaining Architecture for the 21st Century (2003)

The Promise of Cradle-to-Cradle Design, by William McDonough & Michael BraungartLEARN MORE

A Building Like a Tree, a Campus Like a Forest (2002)

Sustainable Design, Ecological Literacy, and the Legacy of the New England CampusLEARN MORE

A New Geography of Hope (2002)

Landscape, Design, and the Renewal of Ecological IntelligenceLEARN MORE

Redefining Green (2002)

The Guardian Reborn (2002)

The Living City (2002)

Nature, Design and the Greening of Chicago by William McDonoughLEARN MORE

Waging Peace With Intelligent Design (2002)

In early October 2002, The New York Times reported that the United States was preparing to launch a $94 million counter-insurgency program to help the Columbian military protect a 500-mile oil pipeline... LEARN MORE

Beyond Efficiency (2001)

Adapted from Cradle to Cradle, a new book by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, forthcoming from North Point Press.LEARN MORE

Hope and Human Enterprise (2001)

A Statement of Purpose for the China-U.S. Center for Sustainable Development by William McDonoughLEARN MORE

William McDonough, recently returned from Davos and presented The Creation of the Perception of Scarcity Where Nothing Exists – the latest findings on the size of current financial markets related to global GDP and the potential of The Circular Economy.

Presentation by William McDonough, C.E.O., McDonough Innovation and Co-Author, "Cradle to Cradle," at The New York Times's International Luxury Conference, followed by a conversation with Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic.

C&A, one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers, debuted the first Cradle to Cradle Certified™ GOLD T-shirts, marking an achievement level not seen before for a fashion garment. The nine-month development began in 2016 where MBDC served as assessor for the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program to help C&A, Fashion for Good, and McDonough Innovation achieve their goal of supporting two India-based garment manufacturers—Cotton Blossom and Pratibha Syntex—to develop and produce two Cradle to Cradle Certified T-shirts.

Fashion for Good is a worldwide laboratory of innovation and practical action based in Amsterdam. Fashion for Good was created with an initial grant from founding partner C&A Foundation, and prior to launch the partners that built the foundation of Fashion for Good include: the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative, Impact Hub Amsterdam, McDonough Innovation, The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Plug and Play, C&A and Kering.

At the 2017 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, McDonough's iconic ICEhouse™ (Innovation for the Circular Economy House) returned as a meeting place for a second year in a row. ICEhouse offers a curiosity to visitors to Davos of the opportunities of WonderFrame™, McDonough's broader vision for a simple, flexible, and affordable floor and roof structural system that can be erected quickly with the simplest of tools. The ICEhouse was commissioned by Hub Culture and supported by SABIC. This special Davos edition is made of technical materials (durable polymers, aluminum and aerogel) which will be returned to industry at the end of their use cycle. These durable elements can be endlessly used and reused in new products across generations.

William McDonough received the 2017 Fortune Award for Circular Economy Leadership at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The award recognizes leaders who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of a prosperous and sustainable economy. In recognizing McDonough, the committee singled out his lifetime of visionary work, furthering innovation in design – both in theory and in practice.

William McDonough delivered a Keynote address at SXSW Eco in Austin, Texas, in which for the first time he presented a new concept called the Carbon Positive City.

10/06/2016

2016 USGBC Leadership Award

William McDonough receives the 2016 USGBC Leadership Award from the US Green Building Council during the 2016 Greenbuild Conference and Expo. The Leadership Awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that embody vision, leadership and commitment to the evolution of green buildings and communities as a vehicle to enhance our quality of life.

William McDonough speaks about Cradle to Cradle design, the Circular Economy and Global Shared Prosperity during the 2016 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting session: “Turning Landfills into Goldmines: Can We Make the Circular Economy a Reality.”

04/21/2016

Ambassador J. William Middendorf ll Award

William McDonough receives the Ambassador J. William Middendorf ll award from the Netherland-America Foundation

The ‪ICEhouse™ (ICE = Innovation for the Circular Economy) was‪ reassembled at the ‪Circular EXPO at The Valley, the Netherlands’ national hotspot for the ‪circular economy. The reusable building was first assembled in Davos in January 2016 for the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, where William McDonough is the Chair of the Meta-Council for the Circular Economy.

William McDonough + Partners and McDonough Innovation showcased a new structure in Davos in conjunction with the 2016 World Economic Forum annual meeting. ICEhouse™ (Innovation for the Circular Economy house) was designed to demonstrate the positive design framework described in Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, and the reuse of resources implicit in the circular economy.

William McDonough + Partners designed 333 Brannan, now fully leased by Dropbox, to be resource effective, to support human and ecological health, and to respect the South of Market historic district character.

William McDonough + Partners, Stantec (formerly Anshen + Allen), and Arup recently collaborated on the new UCSF Medical Center complex at Mission Bay—the first hospital built from the ground up in San Francisco in several decades.

Bluewater Energy Services, a leading Dutch engineering firm, chose Park 20|20 as the home for its new headquarters. Designed by William McDonough + Partners, the 8,000 square meter building, rated BREEAM Excellent, consolidates approximately 600 employees in one facility, creating an inspirational workplace that supports collaboration, well-being and productivity.

09/18/2013

Rachel Carson Environmental Award

William McDonough receives the Rachel Carson Environmental Award from the Natural Products Association.

FIFPro’s new headquarters, designed by William McDonough + Partners, opens at Park 20|20, the first Cradle to Cradle inspired development in the Netherlands, designed and master planned by William McDonough + Partners.

This newly established business school in Pakistan takes ethics as a generating theme for the educational curriculum. Consequently, the building was designed to reinforce the idea of integration between the human and natural environment; embodying concepts of environmental responsibility and sustainability. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

With half of its interior space dedicated to educational exhibits, William McDonough + Partners designed the Technical Nutrient Pavilion to directly engage the public through the 20|20 Experience Center that stimulates ideas and strengthens networks while showcasing the latest in Cradle to Cradle® and sustainable innovation.

Occupying a prominent site at the entrance to the William McDonough + Partners designed Park 20|20 development in the Netherlands, Fox Vakanties, a Dutch internet travel booking organization specializing in distant, exotic destinations, is the latest company to take up residence.

Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte (B/S/H/) brings five of the top brands in household appliances together under one roof in the first building completed at Park 20|20, The Netherland’s first Cradle to Cradle®-inspired development.

Serving as a symbol of the school’s tradition of global service, the LEED Gold certified building provides a vibrant setting for teaching, research and public dialogue. Design strategies, including on-site generation of renewable energy, Cradle to Cradle material specifications, and abundant fresh air and daylight, were developed and prioritized in close collaboration with the School’s students, faculty and staff to serve as pedagogical tools capable of demonstrating the highest degrees of environmental responsibility. Design by William McDonough + Partners

05/07/2009

McDonough is awarded the Rockwool Prize from the Danish Architecture Center

The building is designed to be a place that demystifies the concept of the library and honors the memory of David Allan Hubbard, theological scholar and past president of Fuller. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

Designed to enhance people’s connection to each other and the outdoors, this 29-acre site, located in Palo Alto’s prestigious Stanford Research Park, has beautiful vistas, mature trees and landscaping with generous setback. William McDonough + Partners led the design team through the arduous entitlements process with unprecedented success, due in large part to the design’s appropriateness of scale and sensitivity to the natural setting.

Ecourban is an ambitious mixed-use, urban redevelopment project in Barcelona led by William McDonough + Partners. The building is at the center of the urban renewal initiative in the Poblenou District—known as 22@, which plays on both its historic “22a” industrial zoning code and its high-tech future.

11/19/2008

McDonough keynotes the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo

06/08/2008

McDonough keynotes the AIA National Convention

Why can’t a building be as eco-friendly as a tree? What if the concept of waste didn’t exist? Having collaborated with such giants as Google, nasa, Ford, and Wal-Mart with his “Cradle to Cradle” philosophy, architect William McDonough wants to usher in a new Industrial Revolution. No sacrifices necessary, just smart design.

McDonough becomes an International Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and an honorary member of ASLA

How do humans become native to a place? The design for this innovative development responds to civilization’s encroachment on the Canadian Rockies National Park by using ecologically responsible development to “bring the park back in.” Designed by William McDonough + Partners

The design of Frito-Lay’s primary distribution center in western New York showcases an array of innovative strategies and systems that reduce energy consumption dramatically, circulate and clean air and water, and serve as a prototype for efficient, intelligent, green commercial buildings. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

This LEED Platinum visitor center embodies the client’s mission of “finding new ways to connect nature with people’s everyday lives.”
Nestled into a wooded ridgeline between the plant nursery and an open prairie, the center takes cues from the surrounding forest to become at once unique and at home in this place. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

10/15/2004

National Design Award

McDonough receives the National Design Award for outstanding achievement in environmental design.

07/13/2004

U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award

McDonough receives the U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award from President George W. Bush for his work with Shaw Industries.

These offices provide a healthy, comfortable, and flexible work environment for employees while knitting into the larger urban fabric. Two distinct yet integrated buildings wrap around a central terraced open-air courtyard, providing employees access to abundant amounts of daylight and fresh air, a configuration that connects people to the outdoors and engenders a dynamic, flexible workplace. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

10/23/2003

Benjamin Botwinick Prize for Ethical Practice in the Professions

McDonough is awarded the Benjamin Botwinick Prize for Ethical Practice in the Professions from Columbia University Business School.

Scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center study forests and global carbon and nitrogen cycles to determine the effects of deforestation and human activities on the environment. William McDonough +Partner’s design for the new campus demonstrates the ability for modern building construction to harmonize with a habitable earth.

The centerpiece of the 20-year revitalization of Ford’s historic River Rouge complex provides workers with abundant natural light and fresh air and restores native habitat to the site. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

Architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart present an integration of design and science that provides enduring benefits for society from safe materials, water and energy in circular economies and eliminates the concept of waste.

Described by The New York Times as ‘the most remarkable of a new generation of college buildings” and by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of the 30 ‘milestone’ buildings of the 20th century, William McDonough + Partner’s design for The Lewis Center aspires to be as bountiful and effective as a tree.

The goal of this corporate headquarters expansion in Silicon Valley was transformation—the renewal of a business and the concurrent conversion of a nondescript office building into a vibrant, connected community. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

The renovation of the Samuel Trask Dana Building, by William McDonough + Partners, offers an ecologically intelligent response that signals the SNRE’s approach to the challenges of the 21st Century while addressing the needs of a growing world-class science education and research department

Nike has crafted one of the world’s most readily recognizable corporate identities through its emphasis on world-class athletic performance. William McDonough + Partners furthered Nike’s mission by bringing world-class innovation to the Nike European Headquarters.

"Eco-efficiency," the current industrial buzzword, will neither save the environment nor foster ingenuity and productivity, the authors say. They propose a new approach that aims to solve rather than alleviate the problems that industry makes.

01/01/1997

McDonough becomes a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects

Designed by William McDonough + Partnesr as a build-to-suit for Gap Inc, 901 Cherry is now the home of YouTube LLC, illustrating that a building design as a flexible and adaptable organism can successfully adapt to new user groups.

01/01/1996

McDonough becomes the first and only individual to receive the U.S. Presidential Award for Sustainable Development

Designed by William McDonough + Partners, the Herman Miller “GreenHouse” office and manufacturing facility has become a case study in how a sustaining approach can enhance the physical and mental health of its occupants—not to mention corporate productivity and profits.

William McDonough is Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia

McDonough becomes Dean of the School of Architecture and Edward E. Elson Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia (1994-1999). William McDonough + Partners moves to Charlottesville, Virginia.

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